§6408 — Title 16 Conservation | U.S. Code

Summary

Using money authorized under section 6414, the Administrator may give emergency help to covered States or coral reef stewardship partnerships when coral reefs face immediate harm from urgent threats. The law lists six types of such threats, including disease outbreaks, invasive or nuisance species, coral bleaching, natural disasters, industrial or mechanical incidents (like vessel groundings or hazardous spills), and other threats the Administrator decides are urgent. By February 1 each year, the Administrator must send a report to the appropriate congressional committees and to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. The report must say which locations were considered but not given emergency help and why. For each time help was given, it must describe the location and problem, who got the help, the current and expected results, any NOAA work that was paused to provide the help, and whether more restoration is needed with recommendations and a cost estimate.

Title 16, §6408

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under section 6414 of this title, the Administrator may provide emergency assistance to any covered State or coral reef stewardship partnership to respond to immediate harm to coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems arising from any of the exigent circumstances described in subsection (b).

(b)The Administrator shall develop a list of, and criteria for, circumstances that pose an exigent threat to coral reefs, including—

(1)new and ongoing outbreaks of disease;

(2)new and ongoing outbreaks of invasive or nuisance species;

(3)new and ongoing coral bleaching events;

(4)natural disasters;

(5)industrial or mechanical incidents, such as vessel groundings, hazardous spills, or coastal construction accidents; and

(6)such other circumstances as the Administrator determines appropriate.

(c)On February 1 of each year, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that—

(1)describes locations with exigent circumstances described in subsection (b) that were considered but declined for emergency assistance, and the rationale for the decision; and

(2)with respect to each instance in which emergency assistance under this section was provided—

(A)the location and a description of the exigent circumstances that prompted the emergency assistance, the entity that received the assistance, and the current and expected outcomes from the assistance;

(B)a description of activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that were curtailed as a result of providing the emergency assistance; and

(C)an assessment of whether further action is needed to restore the affected coral reef, recommendations for such restoration, and a cost estimate to implement such recommendations.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 6408, Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 209, Dec. 23, 2000, 114 Stat. 2805, authorized appropriations, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title C, § 10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3931.

§6408 Emergency Assistance

Summary

Title 16, §6408

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Citations & Metadata